Xref: utzoo comp.lang.fortran:2218 comp.sys.ibm.pc:30919
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!njin!princeton!phoenix!pucc!Q4071
From: Q4071@pucc.Princeton.EDU (Interface Associates)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: FORTRAN for the PC?
Message-ID: <8821@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 1 Jul 89 16:10:46 GMT
Reply-To: Q4071@pucc.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Princeton University, NJ
Lines: 54
Disclaimer: Author bears full responsibility for contents of this article


For some weeks, I have been doing some number crunching using the
University's 3081 and FORTRAN.  I am looking to offload some of the
tasks onto my 386-based PC, and am looking for a good FORTRAN.  I do
not know UNIX, and do not have the time to learn for this project,
so I am looking for a DOS or OS/2-based language (non-microchannel).
I have upgraded to 8MB on the mother board and an 80387 coprocessor.
I understand that OS/2 will use up a lot of my memory, all 8MB of which
I need for arrays.  So I am looking for a FORTRAN which will:

        1.  Run under DOS 3.3, but using storage above the 640K line
            with no silly 64K segment restrictions.  I do not need
            code above the 640K line.

            (If the choice is OS/2 or UNIX or nothing, I will have to
             use one of them -- not completing the project is not an
             option.)

        2.  Is fast (can use the 80387 AND has a good optimizer).
            A good set of scientific subroutines
            would be a big plus since I lose the IMSL in the move to PC.
            The improvement in VSFORTRAN between opt(0) and opt(3) for
            the routines I am using is 3:1 in execution time.  A good,
            coherent section on 'writing efficient code for XYZ FORTRAN'
            which explains the compilers idiosyncrasies will go a long
            way toward fulfilling this need.

        3.  Has usable diagnostics/debug.  (I can debug on the 3081 and
            download if I must).

        4.  Has virtual storage/paged array capabilities.  When I come
            to need this, I will NEED it, but I don't need it for a
            while, and can give it if I have to.

        5.  Is FORTRAN/77 compatible.  I suspect that any offerings will
            be F'77, but most of my routines were written in HX to get
            faster execution, and only recently converted to 77 because of
            the IMSL.  Reconversion would take less than a day.

        6.  Has a terrific debugger.

Although price is an object, the price I am willing to pay is related
to how well the above criteria are met.  The only suggestion I have
been given is Leahy FORTRAN, but I don't know that much about it.

Please reply by E-mail (or to the net if you can't get through).
I will summarize if there are many responses.



=========================================================================
Robert A. West c/o Interface Associates, Inc.    (Q4071@PUCC)
US Mail: 666 Plainsboro Rd. Office Commons, Suite 1A, Plainsboro NJ 08536
Voice  : (609) 275-5711